ask-redweek-timeshare-points-vs-week

We own both traditional weeks and points through Marriott and Resorts West. We use our traditional weeks for properties we like to return to every year. We have learned to make reservations well in advance to insure that we get the dates we desired. On the other hand we have found points to be invaluable in many ways - we can extend time spent on our "weeks" reservation, travel less expensively during slower seasons, and book smaller units, for less points when we are not in need of a full two bedroom. Additionally, points memberships allow us to travel for less than a traditional week, if we want to get away for a few days. We love the flexibility.

It seems like Marriott adopted the best of Starwood post acquisition. You do have points (options is what the resort points are called through Vistana) and a deed to a specific property and time frame which affords you access to your home base 12 months in advance vs 8 months for other properties in the network. While Westin Flex gives you that same 12 month access to seven specific properties other than the separately acquired property, this is not deeded like other programs. However, what Flex did give us is a boost in options which also raised us to the next membership tier and automatically adds unexpected perks to each visit.

I own a deeded property at Star Island, which is a stand-alone resort. . Since my purchase, additional sections have been developed and owned or run by Wyndham. Star Island tried to get me to convert to a point system, at a cost to me of several thousand dollars. However, as far as I am concerned, when you own on a point based system, the value of your initial purchase declines as newer resorts are added. The points you paid for a week won't allow you to trade into newer resorts. You either have to buy more points or save or borrow your points from other years. And to charge me for the privilege of something that devalues each year, no thanks. I did, however, offer to sell my unit back to the resort, at the current going rate. And guess what...no takers. LOL!

We own legacy weeks at the Marriott Ko Olina resort. Because that is the only resort we want to go to, it would not make any sense to convert to points. Points would reduce our stay from 14 days down to 12 days.

The points concept only benefits the developer. I own fixed weeks in Aruba at the Marriott Surf Club and the Divi Phoenix. This is where I want to vacation. The sales office at the Aruba Surf Club is still open and yet the resort has been sold out for many many years. What exactly are they selling when they sell points. That is the right to use at any Marriott in the world, but if you think you are going to stay at the Marriott Aruba Surf Club, you are being FOOLED. Someone has to give up their week at the resort in the points system and hope to use for a trade to get into the resort. The points are eligible for all Marriott point owners in the world. Good Luck ! I know I own there and have the right to have a room there. If a room is not made available to me, it will set up a class action suit and I am surprised it hasn't occurred as of yet. Remember Marriott is an American company and they can be sued in the US. I have checked my original contract and feel they have violated clauses in the contract with the ability to sell points due to the fact that there was to be rooms available to trade into which no longer exist due to the points system. My suggestion is do not convert to points. I can be contacted at 732-735-3198

We have owned a fixed week at a Divi resort in the Caribbean for several years, and have used it ourselves every year since. We bought it to use, not for resale/investment. We are also Interval International members, because we own another timeshare which we bought only for the exchange privileges. We were recently solicited by II to change to a points-based system. After doing our due diligence we declined. Never during the entire time we have owned the second timeshare have we been unable to get the exchange we wanted. Further, the number of points that this timeshare was worth was so low that it would not get us into any of the numerous resorts that we have always exchanged to. And finally, the fee to change to points was high, meaning that we would be increasing our costs and decreasing the value -- not a good idea.

We own 2 weeks at Marriott Aruba Ocean Club and 1 week at Myrtle Beach and we love them and use them. In 2011 we purchased 4,500 points and I specifically asked if Marriott would by them back like the weeks at a price of at least 60%. Of course the answer was yes. Well we are now trying to sell our points and Marriott is offering $2.19 per point or 20%.

We have owned 2 fixed weeks at independent Time Share in Fort Myers Beach, Fla. This was many years ago and able to trade thru Interval for Hawaii, Tennessee, etc very easily. As time shares became more popular, trading became difficult. So the answer was to buy in a popular place (location, location, location) and where you would like to go more often than not. We sold Fort Myers for what we paid - a great purchase. Bought two fixed weeks in the Keys at Hyatt, which is now also going to points. This has worked good only because we like the keys. One drawback is that there are not may Hyatt timeshares. Another place we like is Marriott Ocean Point in Fla. Have one week that can be split to get two weeks - good deal. But, now I understand why the points - so people would go other places than their 'home resort' to free up units. It has been easier the past few years to book our week. We did purchase points, which we can add to our week or add a few days. Also, timeshares are renting to the general public, which was not the case 20 years ago. Lets hope the standards and quality remain up to par and remain as they are and have been.

YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE EVER RISING COST OF POINTS AND HOW MANY POINTS YOU WILL NEED GOING FORWARD TO STAY AT EVEN THE SAME RESORT THE VERY NEXT YEAR. THEY CAN MAKE UP ENDLESS POINTS AND YOU STILL CAN NOT GET EVEN A POINTS RESERVATION AT THE TIME OR RESORT OR EVEN VIEW YOU WISH TO STAY WITH. AT LEAST WITH A DEEDED CONDO YOU KNOW WHEN WHERE AND WHAT CONDO YOU WILL HAVE. AND YOU CAN RENT IT OUT YOURSELF FOR CASH WHEN YOU WISH TO GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. DEEDS ARE STILL THE WAY TO GO. I WOULD NEVER BUY POINTS. I OWN TWO FIXED WEEKS AT MARRIOTT MAUI OCEAN CLUB IN THE LAHAINA TOWER EIGTH FLOOR OCEANFRONT CORNER TWO BEDROOM VILLA I HAVE NO PROBLEM RENTING IT OUT FOR THREE TIMES MY MAINTENANCE FEES IF NOT MORE. SO ONE OF MY WEEKS CAN PAY FOR TWO WEEKS AT OTHER RESORTS GOOD INVESTMENT FOR SURE.

As a 30+ year owner of 2 deeded float weeks that I no longer want, since at 75, I now live in Paradise (FL) and have traveled the world, I see in all these plans no way for me to divest myself of my properties. My resort doesn't want to take them back, and I can't sell or even GIVE them away. My only option appears to be to stop paying HOA fees and live with a lien and threats of lawsuits until I die. Where is help for me and others in this timeshare hell?

I have Points and I'm interested in selling my timeshare with Kanapalli beach club.

I have been timesharing for over 30 years now. I own two deeded weeks in Florida and they trade beautifully. My two bedroom unit trades better than the one bedroom unit, even though the one bedroom is right on Redington Beach. (Maintenance fees are $400 for one and $550 for the second). I only buy weeks. No interest in points whatsoever. I actually think the deeded beachfront weeks will eventually go up in price in certain locations due to lack of availability of beachfront units (i.e. Sanibel, Ft. Myers Beach, Hollywood Beach, etc.) - I am so happy with my units, I am getting ready to buy a third. I want to go to two of my resorts each year and then trade the 3rd unit to go somewhere else, just for the variety. I am one happy timesharer! I save a ton of money as I live in Florida - so no plane ticket needed. I just dump the refrigerator contents into a cooler and put it in the car. No car rental either. My friends can come for a few days and leave and then anther one comes to visit. How can you beat that?

Please see below:

Re: Booking ID - B11-2134-0858 Divi Aruba Phoenix Beach Resort Feb 26, 2023 – Mar 4, 2023

We checked into the Divi Phoenix on Sunday, 2/26/2023. When we arrived at the room, it was uninhabitable. Many things were broken from the toilets (they didn't flush), some cabinets were broken at the bottom and the smell of the unit was extremely musty. The unit was not suitable to be rented. It was vile. As we live in New Jersey, we had no way to know of the condition of these units. We've stayed at the Marriott Surf club many times and have never had an issue.

In addition, the lights in the elevator [which was dilapidated] stopped working (we got there in the evening and rode the elevator in the dark).

We immediately went to the front desk to tell them that the room was unacceptable. They showed us another room. We smelled the odor from this unit (again musty) from the doorway and refused to move units.

As we were unable to stay in a unit at the Divi Phoenix, we had to scramble to find another hotel with availability which cost us over $6,000.00.

We are requested a full refund [$2,185.00] for the Redweek rental and want to be reimbursed for the additional expense we were forced to incur on such short notice.

Should we not hear back shortly, we will simply dispute the charge with our credit card company.

about 18 hours ago

Rental Team (RedWeek) Hello XXX,

We regret the inconvenience you experienced.

Unfortunately, the deadline to submit a dispute as per the contract was 12 pm (noon) PT on Feb 27, 2023.

13. Disputes: 13.1. If the Renter does not receive the Unit as described in the Unit Details section, they should open a dispute directly with RedWeek at https://www.redweek.com/dispute by 12 pm (noon) PT on Feb 27, 2023.

The owner was already paid as stated on the contract.

Did you ask the resort for some type of concession? Again, we regret the inconvenience. However, there is nothing RedWeek can do as owner's funds were disbursed and dispute deadline has passed.

RedWeek

about 1 hour ago

Me:

Baloney. We notified the front desk at the Divi within an hour of our arrival on February 26th, resulting in their offer of another uninhabitable unit and our vacating the premises.

We'll take it up with the credit card company. We'll make sure we put the appropriate feedback in the review section and we will never book with Redweek again. Buyer beware. Let's see who it'll cost more long-term.